Running into Friends of Friends
by Norwegianne
Summary: Buffy has been chasing the Gievlos from California to Florida. After she kills it, she runs into a commando guy


Title: Running into friends of old friends. 

Disclaimer: I don't own the characters from Buffy the Vampire Slayer

Rating: A soft R – because of some language, and the memories of a sexual situation (including light bondage). Ratings are better safe than sorry, right?

Pairing: Buffy/Graham.

Timeline: Set in the Penultimate-verse, during some of the events in This land is your land.

A/N: I love Gievlos. But ff.net seems to screw up some of the formatting...

* * *

**2003 **

"Gotcha!

Buffy stopped for a moment and admired the stunned look on the Gievlos' faces as its main head rolled of the body.

"You guys never learn from other people's mistakes, do you?

She swung the battle axe a couple of more times and the three remaining heads soon lay in a heap on the soggy ground with the main.

"I mean," she put the axe down and leaned on it as the thin body of the demon she had been following for the past months began to decay. "You could say a lot about humanity too, if you had a mouth that was attached to the rest of your body that is, but we try to learn from other people's mistakes. That's what those history classes were for back in high school.

She dragged out one of the navy-blue hankies that Giles had provided her with when she'd last seen him, put some water from a bottle on it and swiped it across her face and neck.

When she had finished cooling down, she swiped the hair that had fallen out from her pony-tail in during the last couple of hours of chase and put it back in. Long hair worked out nicely when she had an assignment in northern parts during the winter, in the south during summer-time it was hell.

"Yeurgh.

The Gievlos demons were an unpleasant species to kill. They were fast, relatively smart, and their bodies began to rot within minutes of their deaths.

If you ever was assigned to kill one it was pretty much the case of kill and get the hell out of Dodge before the smell stuck to you for months afterwards.

That had been the first thing Giles and Wesley had made her memorize before they sent her off.

Unfortunately it looked like it was too late.

Buffy wiped off the battle axe on the swampy-looking grass before she threw it into the boat she had driven onto the little beach.

She figured that the demon's boat would probably come some lost traveller to use some day, why should she take all the stress of towing it back to a harbour when someone might find it useful?

The chase had been long, from San Francisco to the southern parts of Florida, where she had slit the throats of it just a few minutes earlier.

Now she couldn't wait to get back to civilization, a shower and enough drinks to make her forget about the shitty job she really had.  Still, now she was being paid for doing her destiny, and she taught a couple of self-defence classes every now and then. Money-wise things had never been better, but a woman could hope to achieve more than a career where she killed things.

Or saved the earth and the universe a couple of times every now and then.

Maybe a nice 9-5 job somewhere would have been good.

A movement in the bushes behind the pulp that had been a demon alerted her and she jumped into the swamp-boat she had rented. Ready to take off at a moment's notice she was flabbergasted when she noticed the guy that came out from the thick bushes.

Or rather the big gun he was toting.

Very big gun.

A gun that could kill her in seconds no matter how fast she got the boat started. If the guy had good enough of an aim.

Slayers were destined to go out with a bang, not a whimper. If she was going to get shot, she'd rather be shot and know it, than be shot in the back.

"Hey," she called out, and the guy lifted his head. "I don't know what you're looting for, but this little fellow over there had nothing of value, and now he has even less. So unless you want to smell like eau-de-Gievlos for the rest of the decade, I'd stay clear.

"Thanks." He moved closer to her boat and she moved closer to the battle axe that had been a birthday present from Gunn.

"You're welcome.

"So, are you going back to civilized territory now, or do you have any others to hunt?

"He was pretty much what I was after this time.

"He was what I was after too, and since you just spared me from a long and exhausting fight, mind if I hitch a ride?

"You want me to do you a favor because I did you a favor? What parallel universe are you from?

"Is that a polite way of saying no?

"It's a polite way of asking if you have any common sense at all. You can take the other boat. Or how did you get here anyway?

"We've been looking for him for days, and I was dropped off on this island this morning. I'm supposed to call them when I want to be picked up. And I'm a horrible navigator," he added.

"Color me surprised. Okay, you can hitch a ride, but keep a tight rein on your trigger finger.

"Sure," he agreed, happy to get out of the swamp. "I'm Graham.

"Buffy.

"There can only be one woman with that name in this galaxy. At least one who hunts like this. I know! You're that Canadian Slayer that Riley used to date.

"And you know this how?" Buffy wrinkled her nose, and steering the boat steadily. "I'm not Canadian either, by the way.

"Buffy isn't the most normal name on the block, besides I don't know any other girl who could kill a Gievlos, with only a measley axe.

"My axe is not measley. Insult it again and the alligators will be eating well tonight.

"Testy. It's a very nice and powerful axe.

"Thank you. It was a gift from a close friend.

They drove on in silence for a while.

"Aha," Buffy exclaimed. "I do know you. You're that friend of Riley's that came when he was ill. How's military life treating you?

"It's all right.

"Can't say anything more?

"Classified, so how's the slaying business?" He put his hand in his pockets.

"It's all right, most of the time.

"Did you ever graduate from college? I've wondered.

"Why?" Buffy, who had kept her gaze locked at the route ahead, looked back at him. "It's not like we spent much time together.

"I'm curious. You had several bad experiences, according to Riley, and an after school duty that took pretty much of your time. Since the world hasn't ended, that I noticed, I'm curious.

"The world didn't end and I'm in the middle of finishing college. I'll get a degree in physical education.

"You teach gym and use those long summer vacations to keep the universe's less positive sides at bay?" They docked at the dock where she frenzied had rented the boat earlier that day and she smiled up at the owner.

"Nah, just as a substitute teacher. I can't be too settled.

"Makes sense. So, how about a drink? For old time's sake?

"I'm not much of a drinker, and I'd really like a cold shower.

"Where are you staying?

"Planning on catching a ride with me there too?

"You've seen through all my strategies and plans, now I have to kill you.

"Woe is me," she smiled at him and dragged the bag with weaponry over to a large black SUV. "Sure you can catch a ride. I'm at the Holiday Inn.

* * *

Buffy stepped into the shower and let the ice-cold water hit her face. She stood like that for a while, and first when the water began to heat up she grabbed the standard bar of soap that would kill most of the germs she had caught from the demon.

Had Fred got it the way she wanted it the soap would smell like a hospital, thankfully Willow had interfered. Now a minty goodness spread through the air.

When she had washed her hair she turned off the shower and began to dry off. It didn't take long, but before she had managed to get into the room and get dressed her cell rang. She was sure that adding the ring tone had been Xander's idea of a final joke before he left.

The Wonder Woman theme was slightly embarrassing when it rang while she was in a fight.

She had, of course, forgotten all about calling back to the office to let them know she was safe.

She had also forgotten to draw the curtains together before she went into the shower, so that now the whole world could now see her in all her towel-covered glory.

"Hey." She found the phone on the bed, and answered it.

"It's me. How was the fight?

"Quick.

"Did you get away fast enough?

"Sort of, which is why I've just taken a shower.

"And now you're wearing?

"Not that my employer needs to know stuff like that, and I'm pretty sure it's illegal for you to ask, Angel, but I'm wearing a skimpy towel that hardly covers anything.

"Man, atonement's a bitch.

"I was just about to go get dressed and have a couple of drinks down in the bar next door. I figure I need it.

"Alcohol doesn't solve anything," he reminded her.

"I know, _dad_. But it doesn't hurt to have some fun every now and then.

"I've heard of the concept. Okay, I was just worried since you didn't call.

"Yeah, have a nice evening. I expect I'll be back tomorrow.

"The ticket will be waiting at the airport for you.

* * *

Buffy slid onto the barstool next to Graham. "Hey!

He turned to her. "Decided to join me for drinks after all?

"Well, I couldn't let you drink alone. I'll have a margarita.

"No beers?

"Let's just say I've got a bad experience that was enough to turn me off it for ever.

"Ah, margarita it is then.

"So, aside from the classified stuff, what has been up with you lately. It's been what? Three years?

Graham took a sip of the beer.

"Been around.

* * *

Buffy rolled around in bed until she hit another being.

Press the stop button. Rewind for a second.

Another human being?

Yep. Another human being was in her bed. A discreet check proved that he even had a pulse.

It also proved that he was quite naked.

And that she was naked as well.

Blurry images from the night before ran through her head.

Had she really dragged Graham back to her room, and tied him to the bed?

Maybe it was time to get the hell out of Dodge, before he woke up?

Maybe it was time to get dressed before she stormed out of the room?

Another image invaded her brain.

Had she really done that to him? She slipped out of bed, and looked at his chest.

Yes, she had.

It was definitely time to run away before he awoke and she turned into a blabbering blushing Buffy.

She dragged on her clothes, not bothering to wash up at all. She could do that at the toilets at the airport. Now the essential item on her check-list was leaving.

Over at the desk she found a complementary notepad and pen. Pausing for a split second, she grabbed it and wrote something on the pad.

Then she dragged on her boots, grabbed the bag and exited the room.

* * *

Graham woke when the door slammed.

It took him a couple of seconds to figure out where he was, and what he had been doing, and with whom.

Looking over at the other side of the bed, the empty other side, it was easy to reason that Buffy wasn't there.

Since he couldn't hear anything from the open bathroom, he felt it safe to assume that she had left. Left him alone to the memories.

Had they really done that? And he had let her tie him up?

Sloppy knots that he could've gotten out of in seconds, but still he'd let her tie him up.

 He wrapped the sheet around his waist as he got out the bed.

She had left, she had fucking left.

Could he blame her? He had been part of the Initiative, and the one who'd taken Riley away from her.

Fuck, yes. He could blame her.

He scoffed and noticed the notepad.

"Had a good time, have a plane to catch. Buffy.

Figured.

He got the one girl in the world more busy chasing monsters than he was.


End file.
